10. Create (and Stick to) a Realistic Budget

If you have a little trouble keeping your spending in check, the best resolution is to start keeping a budget. With a tool like Mint, it's actually very easy to craft your budget and track each purchase you make, so you can stay responsible without having to do a ton of work. You can even set goals for those few things you want to save for, so you have motivation to stay on the wagon. (Original Post)

We've previously looked at creating the ultimate workout playlist, which involves calculating…
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5. Learn a New Skill

Whether its learning to code, learning to cook, or learning to play guitar, we all have one or two skills we've been itching to learn. Chances are, you can probably get a good head start in just a few days, and it isn't as daunting as you think it is. We've covered some of these skills (like programming and image editing) before, but check out our Weekendhacker on learning new skills for more general tips. Photo by Derek Gavey.

Just because you enjoy great food doesn't mean you have to spend a lot of money dining out or…
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1. Back Up Your Data

This is one of those things everyone says they should do, but so few often actually do. We stuck this at #1 because it's by far the easiest thing to do on this list: with a program like CrashPlan, you can set up a bulletproof, fully automated backup in mere hours that you then forget about, and have your data forever protected. If you're a heavy smartphone user, you might want to even consider backing your apps and mobile settings up as well, either using Titanium Backup on Android or PKGBackup on iOS.